“I’m not happy at all,” Durant answered. “I’m a competitor, man, I really didn’t care about what he went through the last three or four years. I know it’s been tough for him; he lost three of the last four years in the first round. I’m sure he’s happy now that he’s going back to the Finals, but I’m not happy for him at all because I wanted to be there.”

Durant chuckled when he answered the question, but you could tell by looking at his facial expressions and body language at the podium that he was understandably seething about the loss.

In a way, Durant reminds me a little of the pre-Tim Duncan version of David Robinson, who always had to answer questions in May about why his team didn’t advance deeper into the playoffs. The right collection of teammates arrived and presto, Robinson won two NBA titles in the final five seasons of his career.

We forget that Durant is only 22 years old and just completed his fourth season in the NBA. If he had remained at Texas for all four seasons, this would have been the end of his rookie year.

There will be many more opportunities for Durant to celebrate big playoff victories in the future. I’m not necessarily sure that Russell Westbrook or Scott Brooks will be there to toast the highest of highs with him, but Durant will undoubtedly have some future celebrations in his career.

And losses like those he endured in the final two games of the series against Dallas will only help to forge his attitude as a competitor.